New Reactor Technologies

In this project, a research network is to be promoted, which bundles the competences of the various departments based in the Hamburg Metropolitan Region. The technologies range from biochemical reactors via micro, membrane, profile, cascade and fluidized bed reactors to 3D printed reactors made of functional materials. The aim of this research project is the knowledge-based development, characterization and application of new reactor technologies in complex multiphase systems by modern in situ spectroscopy and imaging techniques, as well as mathematical modeling. Specific applications include the epoxidation of propylene to propylene oxide, chemo-enzymatic reactions, electro-biochemical fermentation of glycerol and the conversion of biomass. The resulting scientific collaborations culminate in the preparation of a CRC (SFB) application.

Subproject DT04 is about the design, characterization and optimization of 3D printed periodic open-cell structures (POCS). One major property of the POCS is that these structures serve to tailor residence time distributions, catalytic reaction surfaces, and exchange processes of multiphase flows close to the boundary layer to the process. In addition, POCS increase the mass transport and thus the selectivity and yield. The most up-to-date additive manufacturing technologies, such as rapid prototyping, can be used to produce the POCS. Moreover, high-resolution imaging techniques, such as laser-induced fluorescence (LIF) or particle image velocimetry (PIV), enable the study of the interaction of boundary-layer dynamics and the reaction in the millisecond range. Furthermore, numerical simulations are performed to support the experiments and to optimize various reactor configurations.

The structures thus developed are used in various collaborations: for example, as a catalyst support and for the definition of the residence time in the profile reactor of propylene epoxidation (Prof. Horn) in cooperation with selective membrane technology (HZG) or as a carrier of immobilized enzymes in the biochemical process (Prof. Liese) or even to support electro-biochemical synthesis (Prof. Zeng). Knowhow in the selection and evaluation of materials (Prof. Fiedler) as well as the expertise in 3D printing (Prof. Luinstra / UHH) are essential.